U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R-ME) and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) led a bipartisan call on Monday for the Obama administration to protect European imports of lobsters from Maine.
Maine’s congressional delegation called for U.S. officials to push back against Swedish efforts to ban Maine lobster imports into the European Union (EU) in letters sent to U.S. officials.
“We urge you to engage in immediate efforts to ensure the continuation of safe and responsible import of live Maine lobsters, consistent with the EU’s World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations,” the legislators wrote. “Since only a small number of Maine lobsters have been found in foreign waters, we believe regulators should take a more finely tuned approach before calling this an ‘invasion.’ Some reports have suggested that individuals are releasing lobsters into European waters after their arrival. If this is the case, such a violation should be handled first by local law enforcement, rather than used to erect a barrier to legitimate international trade.”
In addition to Poliquin and Collins, U.S. Sen. Angus King (I-ME) and U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) signed letters to Secretary of State John Kerry, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administrator Kathryn Sullivan.
The legislators called for protection of the $200 million trans-Atlantic lobster trade.
“It is in the best interest of all parties involved to maintain this sector of trans-Atlantic trade that supports so many Mainers and their families,” the legislators wrote. “Our lobstermen have heeded calls by President Obama to build export markets. We now need your help to ensure that the EU does not erect unjustified barriers to these markets.”